Impact of wavelength and modulation conversion on translucent elastic optical networks using MILP

Compared to legacy wavelength division multiplexing networks, elastic optical networks (EONs) have added flexibility to network deployment and management. EONs can include previously available functionality, such as signal regeneration and wavelength conversion, as well as new features such as finer-granularity spectrum assignment and modulation conversion. Yet each added feature adds to the cost of the network. In order to quantify the potential benefit of each functionality, we present a link-based mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) formulation to solve the optimal resource allocation problem. We then propose a recursive model in order to either augment existing network deployments (spectrum and regenerators) or speed up the resource allocation computation time for larger networks with higher traffic demand requirements than can be solved using an MILP. We show through simulation that systems equipped with signal regenerators or wavelength converters require a notably smaller total bandwidth, depending on the topology of the network. We also show that the suboptimal recursive solution speeds up the calculation and makes the running time more predictable, compared to the optimal MILP.